The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here (Update: And No One Likes It)

StarHalo

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As of just hours ago, Wolfram|Alpha, a new knowledge-based type of search engine, has opened for general public use. Brought to you by the same people who make the popular PC computational program Mathematica, this new search tool actually does the data gathering and formatting for you, as opposed to merely providing a list of links.

For example, when I first tried it, I just typed in "Pepsi Coca Cola"; on any other search engine, this would of course bring up a massive list of both Pepsi and Coke sites randomly covering every possible aspect of the words. But after hitting enter on Wolfram|Alpha, it immediately begins displaying facts, charts, and graphs that it builds in realtime, each sectioned off by subject and criteria, covering both Coke and Pepsi and comparing the two side-by-side. An annual stock graph shows both companies on the same chart, each with its own color, just as you would make the graph yourself. A numbers table goes over all the basic financial and sales data for both companies in a standard comparison format. There's even the option to view both as "food products" to compare their Nutirtional Information labels.. And all I did was type in the words and hit enter, no links or search.

The world's first search engine where you don't have to search, try it out: http://www.wolframalpha.com/

(Attn geeks: Yes, I know Google uses fuzzy logic and has some boolean AI capabilities, but it's safe to say that this is on an entirely different level. And Google is introducing their version later this month..)
 
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LEDninja

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

"Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input."

Do I have the energy to learn how to use the darn thing?
 

BSBG

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading.

This was after taking several minutes to load the intro page. Not quite there yet...
 

paxxus

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

No matter what I tried it said:

"Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input."

Not impressed.

 

Coop

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Played a bit with it, but I'm not very impressed... I got the "Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input." message until I followed one of the search engines' own suggestions and entered my birthdate. It finally gave me some results, but nothing useful, it just told me that it was the 85th day of the year and that is was in the 13th week, and that there were no official holidays or observances. And, it gave me a notable event... Jean Stafford (novelist) died that day.

Now I know that on my birthdate there was another event. But I guess the signing of the peace treaty between Israel & Egypt marking the end of a 30+ year state of war between 2 countries isn't really that important compared to the death of a writer...
 

Crenshaw

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

im guessing its more of a fact finder then what you would normally call "search engine"

and it even says at the top, the knowledge based search thingy...its like a less specific version of wiki really

Crenshaw
 

Mike Painter

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Watch the intro to see what this is capable of.
Google was evolutionary and this is revolutionary.

I just typed in distance from chico to sacramento.

Note also the source link at th bottom of the page.
Now all that's needed is for everybody to use XML and both will improver an order or two of magnitude
 

MarNav1

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Wait till Google and NASA fold together. Starhalo I like your avatar.
 

StarHalo

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Keep in mind that the engine uses a finite database to search from which will grow over time; it's only been open for a few hours, so for now it's limited it what it "knows" and how it can answer your requests. The idea at this point is to show what the concept is capable of.

Right now it doesn't know what "Fenix flashlights" means, but over time, I could type in "Fenix TK40 Eagletac M2X" and the screen would fill with comparative charts and graphs, a complete side-by-side review in seconds..
 

IlluminatingBikr

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Wow...I really like it. Granted it's very limited right now, but the concept is amazing. I can't wait to see this until it becomes as powerful as Google is now.
 

Marduke

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

I can't wait for Google to buy them out and absorb the tech into their massive database.
 

276

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

Wasn't sure what to put in at first so i just put my job in, its kinda cool.
 

greenlight

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

It gives you data, but not all of it is accurate. A burrito is larger than 3.7 ounces.
 

LuxLuthor

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

I played with it for 30 mins, and find it less than useful for what I need to find.
 

PEU

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Re: The Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Is Here

well, marketing it like the google killer sure puts my expectations a bit too high, it looks promising, but its not quite there yet, not even near...


Pablo
 

StarHalo

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There's an article in Slate today titled "Like Google, Only Much, Much Worse".. "Wolfram Alpha is yet another pretender to the search giant's throne".

Looks like it might have been a better idea to build up the database and *then* open the engine to the public. Another hard lesson learned in internet business.

And now Google can build on that knowledge..
 

raggie33

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i entered my name and i saw a live feed of me at my pc freaked me out. didnt even know i had a webcam
 

Mike Painter

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There's an article in Slate today titled "Like Google, Only Much, Much Worse".. "Wolfram Alpha is yet another pretender to the search giant's throne".

Looks like it might have been a better idea to build up the database and *then* open the engine to the public. Another hard lesson learned in internet business.

And now Google can build on that knowledge..

Perhaps. The educational version of Mathematica, one of Wolframs products, is about $1100.00. If you are not in education then its more than twice that.
Like AutoCad and a few other very expensive pieces of software there is nothing else that does teh job as well.

Google is good for most things, but even Google scholar misses a lot because of the criteria they use.
Google is more like a dictionary while Wolfram is an encyclopedia.
As for putting it out to early, only by seeing how pewople use it can they decide in what direction they should expand.

Try "surface area sphere 1 cubic foot" in both and see the difference.

I've been to lazy to set up a spreadsheet to show this.

(This also moves us one step closer to what I talked about in my lectures in the late 60's)
 
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